EDGE™ Preliminary Project Plan P09102 – METEOR Stage Separation System JJ Guerrette (ME)

EDGE™ Product Description This project will provide Project METEOR with a stage separation system (SSS). The project scope includes a mechanical device and electronic control system to precisely time the stage separation sequences. Key Business Goals This project will provide the students and faculty at RIT, and the scientific community at large, the opportunity to obtain small payload volumes for conducting micro-systems and other scientific experiments in outer space. METEOR will accommodate and promote these multi-disciplinary collaborations. The final product holds the potential to attract universities aimed at space-based research and satellite sciences. Primary Market The RIT scientific community and Project METEOR Secondary Market Universities looking to launch satellites weighing less than 1kg into space for a low cost Stakeholders METEOR Faculty Guides as customers Harris Corporation as a financier RIT Students and Faculty as customers NASA as a possible financier Universities with Space Research Programs as customers Aerospace Companies as possible financiers or competitors Phase 0: Planning Mission Statement

EDGE™ Phase 1: Concept Development Customer Needs METEOR Needs 1. Needs to deliver a 1kg payload to LEO 2. Needs to be controllable and semi-autonomous 3. Needs to have a planned trajectory 4. Needs to be safe to the operator 5. Needs to be a cost effective alternative to current launch methods 6. Needs to be safe for community surrounding the launch site 7. Needs to have a (propellant) : (structure) ratio of 10:1 and a total mass around ~200kg 8. Needs to integrate multiple projects and systems SSS Needs 1. Needs to enable the separation of rocket stages 2. Needs to hold rocket stages together until separation 3. Needs to be lightweight 4. Needs to be robust enough to withstand external stresses 5. Needs to have minimal effect on the rocket trajectory 6. Needs to remain attached to lower stage in order to reduce the mass of upper stages 7. Needs to be testable on the ground and at altitude 8. Needs to bridge hardwired communications between stages 9. Needs to be precisely timed with control algorithms 10. Needs to integrate with the METEOR guidance system 11. Needs to integrate with the METEOR rocket body 12. Needs to operate in a vacuum 13. Needs to perform in altitudes from sea level to1200mi 14. Needs to be used only once 15. Needs to be scalable

EDGE™ METEOR Stage Separation System Constraints 20 Weeks METEOR Systems Integration Guidance System Rocket Body Lightweight Minimal effect on trajectory Resources Patru and Kozak METEOR Lab Previous SD websites Economics Unknown Budget Cost-effective alternative Scope Stage Separator Stage Connector Inter-Stage Communications Scalable Single cycle life Technology Control Algorithms Optical Connections Lightweight Materials Phase 1: Concept Development Objective Tree

EDGE™ Affinity Diagram

EDGE™ Phase 0: Planning Staffing Requirements Mechanical Engineers 3 The mechanical engineers will be tasked with parts fabrication, material acquisition, and the design of a release mechanism. They will create a dynamic model of the stage separation sequence. They will design a method of integrating the system with the rocket-body. They will ensure that all materials used in the system are compatible. Electrical Engineers 2 The electrical engineers will purchase and integrate the system’s controller with the METEOR guidance system. This may also include the purchase of a transmitter and receiver for communications. They will determine power requirements of the SSS. EE’s will develop control algorithms for the separation events, including writing code. The EE’s will investigate optical devices for inter-stage communication. Industrial and Systems Engineers 1 Requirements flow-down from customer needs to product specifications. They will design the test procedures to make sure the system meets all customer needs. Computer Engineers 0 Business Majors 0

EDGE™ Staffing Requirements

EDGE™ Phase 0: Planning Resource Requirements People -Current METEOR SD teams and Dr. Patru and Dr. Kozak will have more information at the start of the project. Equipment Will an environmental chamber be necessary? Can the system be designed around it? Materials Controllers compatible with the METEOR guidance system will need to be purchased.

EDGE™ Phase 1: Concept Development Identify Customer Needs - Benchmarking Stage Separation Devices: (Swiss Propulsion Labs) Source: NEA’s separation ring is reusable and uses a quick release mechanism. Reusability is not important for the METEOR SSS. Small electronic actuators could be used. SPL’s solution is robust and reusable. One downside to the use of a robust mechanical system is the added weight of the components.

EDGE™ Future Plan I need to estimate the number of hours for each work item and create a preliminary work breakdown structure. I also need to talk to Dr. Crassidis about control systems design. I’d like to have one more meeting with Dr. Kozak and Dr. Patru to make sure that I have METEOR’s needs correct.